


An Armistice

by boopboopbeedoop



Category: Rockman X | Mega Man X
Genre: F/M, Gay Robots, Heaps and heaps of artistic liberties, M/M, Rare Pair, awkward gay robots, hurt/comfort elements, socially self-conscious robots
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-12-25
Updated: 2016-12-25
Packaged: 2018-09-12 03:35:23
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 13,329
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9053572
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/boopboopbeedoop/pseuds/boopboopbeedoop
Summary: In a time of peace, X is relegated to administrative and instructional duties after a series of intense missions. While spending his time at Hunter HQ, he realizes there is a member of his team that he doesn't seem to know all that well on a personal level, and sets out to correct that.





	

**Author's Note:**

> So uh, I've been out of the fic-writing thing for a while so I went ahead and threw this thing together (and by "threw together" I mean took like two weeks) because I love this pair for reasons I cannot explain and I just want to see them happy and I'm a little foggy on the series continuity so I'm gonna go fling myself into a dumpster okay MERRY CHRISTMAS

Peace.

It felt almost like a foreign concept to X. He hadn’t fought in any kind of war, destroyed any kind of Maverick, or even generally had so much as an argument with anyone in what felt like ages. He spent a lot of his time at Hunter headquarters, mostly doing administrative work and teaching classes to new recruits. Teaching was something he had enjoyed doing, and X couldn’t be happier that the violence had finally let up a bit. Since Axl joined the Hunters, X could sit back a bit and allow him to handle some of the field work – while he certainly enjoyed being out in the field, he needed a bit of time to recharge his collective batteries from apprehending and fighting so many Mavericks for such a long time.

Besides not having to fight anymore, the other thing X enjoyed about peacetime was his team. Zero was still recovering from everything that happened from the Nightmare incident, but he seemed to be adjusting well to a more administrative position. Axl, being a new Hunter, was willing to take all the field assignments he could get. He was always in a great mood and always excited to see everyone. Alia, in the meantime, was training some new navigators on her team. X hadn’t gotten a chance to meet them yet, but he did notice during a short conversation with Alia that one of them seemed to turn a bright shade of red every time she looked over at Zero – at least, he was pretty sure she was looking at Zero; he couldn’t really see her face. In any case, she seemed to be getting along well with the two new ladies. He still didn’t see Douglas very often, though apparently Alia had been keeping up with him, and he had been busy as one of the lead mechanics in his department. Besides Alia and his two partners, the only other person X saw regularly was his commanding officer, Signas.

Signas seemed to be the only person working for the Hunters who didn’t seem to change much after the Red Alert operation. Still as strict as ever, he saw X every day and gave him all his assignments. He always seemed to be in an okay mood when he saw X, however. While he was a stern commander, he was always calm and collected and would occasionally even try to engage in small talk with the veteran hunter. Typically, it didn’t really go anywhere. X realized after a few weeks that, of all of the members of his team, Signas was the only one he really didn’t know anything about. This troubled X; while he trusted everyone on his team, he wanted the opportunity to know everyone on some kind of personal level, and with his Commander, everything just seemed strictly “business.” He knew that the Commander, at the very least, respected him on some level, which is why X felt okay approaching him on one Thursday morning with an idea.

X rapped on the door to the Commander’s office. He heard the familiar call of “Come in” from the other side. He stepped into Signas’ office. The room was minimally decorated – the office was a comfortable size with plenty of space, and a floor-to-ceiling window overlooking Abel City was the focus of the room, allowing abundant natural light to filter in through the glass. A bookshelf packed to the gills with books on strategy, war history, and politics adorned one wall, and in the center of the room was a simple, nondescript wood desk and two simple beige upholstered chairs sitting in front of it. Even the desk had very little on it, save for a very generic antique green desk lamp, a planner sitting off to the side, and a basic black nameplate that read “Commander Signas” in simple gold lettering. There was very little to be distracted by in the Commander’s office, X realized as he sat down in one of the chairs in front of the desk.

“Good morning, X,” the Commander greeted X, briefly touching the brim of his large cap and giving X a small, cordial smile.

“Good morning, Commander,” X replied, returning Signas’ polite smile. “What do you have for me today?”

Signas shrugged. “Not much new, honestly,” he said, handing X a small docket. “You’ll be teaching a class to some new recruits at 1000 hours on Ride Armor safety procedures, and we have a meeting with some human ambassadors at 1400 hours regarding some kind of community partnership. You, myself, Zero, and Axl will all be present, but you and I will be doing most of the talking.”

X chuckled. “I don’t think we really have to worry about Zero doing much talking.”

Signas’ smirk turned into a small laugh. “And don’t worry – I’ve already talked to Axl, so we won’t have to be concerned with him doing too much talking.”

The two laughed amongst themselves for a moment as Signas gave X the rundown of the daily minutiae. At the end of the briefing, Signas looked at X. “Any questions for me, X?”

X looked at the docket, then at his officer. “Well,” he started, thumbing the paper nervously, “this isn’t really related to my duties for the day, but…” he paused, hesitating. Ugh, why was he getting nervous? He had just spent two days convincing himself that he was comfortable enough with Signas that this conversation would be easy. This just kind of came out of nowhere. So what’s the deal?

The Commander raised an eyebrow. “But…?”

X sighed, then looked up at Signas, who had stood up after finishing his briefing. “I know this may sound like an odd request, but…would you want to meet with me sometime? I mean, personally.”

“Personally?” Signas was a bit confused.

“Right,” X replied, “the thing is, I feel like I’m pretty close to everyone else in my team on kind of a personal level. I talk to Alia pretty much every day, Axl and I work the field together, and I don’t think I even need to tell you about Zero and I…” Signas cracked a smirk at this and shook his head in agreement, but let X speak. “The thing is, I feel like I don’t know you quite as much on that level. But…I want to. I want to make sure that I at least know something about all my comrades, at least on a casual level. Do…do you see what I’m saying, sir?”

Signas paused, his face neutral for a moment, leaving X figuratively sweating. Oh, no, he thought, he’s gonna tell me that was stupid. “A frivolous, superfluous request,” or something wordy like that. Great. Way to make a fool of yourself in front of your boss, X, you smooth talking—

“Sure,” Signas replied after what felt like several minutes.

“…Wh-What?” X was caught off guard.

Signas smiled at the younger Reploid. “I see the merit to your request, X. And I think you’re right – it’s a good idea to get to know your cohort. Besides, I feel like I need to get out a bit more.” He chuckled. “What exactly did you have in mind? Reploids may be as close to humans as machines can be, but we can’t exactly go out for coffee like humans do.”

X laughed nervously. Oh, jeez. I didn’t even think about that. Think, X, think! “Well, er…” he looked outside the Commander’s massive window. A small dusting of snow covered the ground and building surfaces outside, and X could practically hear the archaic lightbulb clicking on over his head. “The city park has their Christmas light show going on this time of year, right? By the time we’re both off duty it will be dark outside – perhaps we could meet up and just go for a walk?”

Signas pondered this idea. He placed his thumb on his chin and his index finger just above his lips. Does he have to think so hard about everything? It doesn’t exactly require analysis… X’s thoughts drifted nervously for a few seconds when Signas replied, “Okay, X. I accept your offer. When are you off duty?”

X perked up at the response. “Wonderful, Commander! I’m off duty aaat…” he flipped through the documents in his hand. “I’m scheduled to do a bit of documentation at 1700 hours, so let’s play it safe and say 1830?”

“That works perfectly for me,” Signas responded as he walked over to the door to his office. He opened the door for X. “I will meet you out front at 1830.”

X stood up and paused at the threshold to the door. “Looking forward to it, Commander!” he replied as he stepped out of the office toward the classroom wing of the building. Signas watched as he walked out, almost with a hurried pace in his step. Once he rounded the corner, Signas sighed, his face a slight shade of pink, and closed his office door.

 

* * *

 

  
X spent the better part of his day relatively free from distractions. He was in a good mood, naturally – after all, he was able to make casual plans with his boss without screwing anything up! The only thing that X found himself thinking about throughout the day, however, was the way he reacted when Signas accepted his offer. Did I get too excited? I hope he doesn’t think I’m being weird or anything, X thought to himself as he began his documentation. I mean, he still said yes, so I guess I can’t be too upset…I just need to watch it. Just keep my cool. I know he’s my superior, but I know I can trust him. The thought of this comforted X a bit, and he sighed as he saw the light outside his own office window begin to turn a dusty pink as the sun sank on the horizon.

At precisely 1830 hours, Signas was standing outside the front door of the Maverick Hunter headquarters. It was a cold evening, and the Commander wore a large gray coat over the mechanical one he normally wore. This jacket did a good job keeping his heat insulated and, as an added bonus, made him look a little bit less intimidating to civilians as it covered the numerous crystals adorning his metal jacket.

He stood waiting with his hands in his pockets. At about 1837, X emerged from the building, wearing a navy blue coat of his own.

“Good evening, Commander,” X greeted him with a nod, “I’m sorry I’m late. I had a bit of paperwork to catch up on. I hope I didn’t keep you waiting too long.”

Signas shook his head. “It’s not a problem, X. I’d rather you get everything done. It’s not like this is a life-or-death meeting or something.”

X sighed in relief. He was glad to hear that Signas was patient as usual. “Well then, shall we get going?”

“Lead the way,” Signas replied, gesturing for X to walk near him.

The two began their walk to the park, which was approximately half a mile from the base. It was a short walk, but they began engaging in conversation rather quickly.

“Great job during that meeting today, X,” Signas began. “It’s no wonder why you’re the face of Maverick Hunter HQ. You truly are well-spoken and composed. You practically put me to shame!”

X felt his face grow hot at the Commander’s remarks. He had received plenty of positive feedback from Signas before, but when they weren’t in the minimalist confines of his office, the praise felt…different. “Th-That’s some high praise, sir. But I certainly can’t take all the credit – after all, you were the one who managed to get us the interview in the first place. I don’t even know how many organizations have been trying to get that partnership, and we wouldn’t even have been able to meet with them if it weren’t for you.”  
Now it was Signas’ turn to blush. He wasn’t used to hearing his own work praised, and hearing a subordinate say such kind things about him felt…unusual, to say the least. “Well…thank you, X. I guess it’s fair to say it was a, um…team effort.” He smiled, but didn’t look directly at the Hunter in order to hide the brushing of red that now adorned his face.

The two reached the park before long, and they spent a great deal of time stopping all along the trail and discussing lighting fixtures.

“That’s really cool!” X exclaimed, pointing to a feature that involved alternating lights to create the effect of a reindeer running in the snow.

“That looks…just plain tacky,” Signas responded further down the way, pointing to a display featuring several large inflatable snowmen. The two chuckled quietly as they made a bit of small talk. After about an hour, they made their way to the end of the trail, and began their walk back toward the base’s living quarters. As they were walking back, X looked up at Signas.

“I feel like that went by so fast,” he said, smiling. “I’m surprised it’s already 2100 hours. It’s not like we walked that far.”

Signas returned his expression. “I agree. I appreciate you taking the time to ask me on this little excursion, X.”

X looked down. “You know, we can always do something else. If you feel like talking more, we can head back to my quarters. I’ve enjoyed hearing you talk tonight.”

Signas shook his head. “I’m sorry, X, but tomorrow is Friday. I keep a fairly stringent schedule when it comes to work, you know this.”

X looked down, trying to hide his disappointment and slight embarrassment. “R-Right, Commander. I apologize. I really should have known better…”

The superior officer looked down at the blue Reploid, paused, and then realized what he had said. “Although, tomorrow is Friday, and I don’t have to travel anywhere this weekend…”

X jerked his head up and looked at Signas. “So…you’d be willing to make plans again?”

“Just think about it tonight, and if you come up with something, we can discuss it tomorrow.” Signas touched the brim of his hat and nodded at X, something that became quite familiar to both of them. X nodded enthusiastically, and when they reached the barracks, he extended his hand to the Commander.

“Thanks again for coming with me this evening, Commander. It was a good time.”  
Signas smiled and shook X’s hand. “Likewise, X,” he replied. “I look forward to doing it again.” He turned away from the building. “I left something in my office, so I need to run back and get it. Have a good evening. I look forward to spending time with you again.” He walked off in the direction of the headquarters, and X waved.

“Good night, Commander!” he called. As he waved, the phrase rang in his head.

“I look forward to spending time with you again.”

“I look forward to spending time with _you_ again.”

“I _look forward_ to spending time with _you_. _Again_.”

 _Oh, thank goodness he doesn’t hate me after that_ , X thought to himself as he opened the door to the dormitory. All the Maverick Hunters and employees of the base lived in this building, and the Reploid woman who worked up front gave him a cordial wave. X headed to his quarters and laid down on his “bed” – it was meant more for charging, but it was definitely designed as a human bed and could be switched on and off for charging. X removed his jacket and hung it on his coat rack. Next came his armor – his chest plate, buster armor, and leg parts, leaving only the thin, flexible material of his sky-blue bodysuit. He lay down on his bed, thinking of something for him and the Commander to do during the weekend. He wasn’t sure why, but he was very excited at the prospect of spending time with Signas. Perhaps it was simply his natural propensity to make friends. Perhaps he and Signas shared similar circuitry that made communicating with him easier. But if that was the case, why was he getting so damn flustered? X grabbed his pillow and covered his face with it. He’s your boss, X, he thought to himself, he’s a nice guy, but you can’t go and get too cozy around him. That’d be weird. X sighed, placed the pillow back behind his head, and clicked off the lamp at his side table, allowing himself to get a good recharge for the next day.

 

* * *

   
Friday. The most revered day of the week for everyone at the base. That meant that the weekend was close, and Reploids enjoyed their free time just as much as members of the human workforce did. X arrived to the HQ on time, just as he always did, and reported directly to Signas, just as he always did. He knocked on the Commander’s door, just as he always did, and the Commander told him to “come in,” just as he always did. X slipped inside and received his docket, but X ended the meeting with a similar request to the day before.

“I figured, maybe you could come over this evening. On Fridays, Axl, Zero and I like to play cards and just…hang out, I guess. Does that sound okay?”

“Hmm.” The Commander mulled it over a moment. “Sure. I’ve never spent time with Zero and Axl outside of work before, either. It could be interesting. Would they mind if I joined them, though? It might seem odd to invite your boss along to a coworker outing…”

X simply waved his hand in dismissal of the thought. “Don’t worry about it, Commander,” X replied. “Zero and Axl are pretty laid back. The more, the merrier, right?”

Signas nodded. “Fair enough. I trust that you know your peers’ preferences.” He again went to the door and ushered X out. “I will meet you at your quarters. What time works for you?”

“2000 hours works. See you then, sir!” X saluted and walked out of the office.

  
“Ughhhh, you invited Signas?” Axl groaned, rubbing his forehead with the palm of his hand. “That guy is such a buzzkill!” He placed his E-tank on the picnic table. He and Zero had just finished training together, and the two of them spent their rest period outside trying to get some energy back before they went about the rest of their day.

“Calm down, Axl,” Zero replied, taking a sip from the blue can. “I’m sure X has a good reason for inviting our boss to our game night.” He looked at X and smirked.

X shrugged, nervous that his friends weren’t going to take kindly to the new addition. “I figured it’d be worth a try. I mean, how often does Signas tell us about his friends? Or his recreation time? We don’t know anything about him. I figured it might be nice to include him in something for once. Why is it such a big deal?”

“Because he’s our boss, X!” Axl exclaimed. “There’s a reason we don’t hang out with him!”

“I know he’s our superior,” X returned, “but he’s a Maverick Hunter just like the rest of us. He was programmed with feelings and emotions just like the rest of us. We could at least try to make him feel welcome with his own team.”

Axl rolled his eyes. “Whatever.” He took a sip of his E-tank. “Guess I can’t harass Zero about his new girlfriend. ” He grinned and nudged the older hunter with his elbow.

“Would you _shut up_ about the ‘girlfriend’ thing?” Zero snapped, swatting Axl’s arm away. “She’s not my girlfriend. She can barely even talk to me without her face turning the color of my helmet.” Zero’s cheeks began to take on a bit of a flush as well.

“Uh-huh,” Axl retorted. He smirked and took a long, slow sip from his E-tank, side-eyeing his comrade the entire time. Zero gave him a punch in the arm, causing Axl to spill some of his drink on himself. X laughed at the Hunters’ banter.

“Anyway,” Zero continued, “I agree with X. I think we should at least give the Commander a chance. Who knows, he might end up not being so bad.”

Axl scoffed. “Fine, whatever,” he sneered at X. “Why are you kissing the Commander’s ass all of a sudden, anyway?”

X’s face shifted. He looked hurt. Axl certainly spoke his mind, but he wasn’t normally this harsh about it. “I am not kissing ass,” he responded.

“Sure you are! Why would you possibly want our stupid boss to hang out with us? We never asked to see him. Why do you want to so bad?”

“That’s enough, Axl,” Zero cut him off. “I think X just wants to be kind. He got a pretty heavy dose of that empathy code in his circuits. He’s just a nice guy who wants to make sure everyone feels included and important. And if that includes our boss, then so be it. Does that sound right, X?” He winked at his partner.

X rubbed the back of his neck with his hands. “I-I suppose,” he stuttered. “Commander Signas just seems like he’s always alone…I would hate that if I were on a team.”

Axl squinted. “I guess I see your point. Whatever. We’ll see how it goes.” He stood up, placing the lid on his E-tank. “See you tonight, nerds.” He walked away, back towards the entrance to HQ.

“Yeah,” Zero replied, standing up as well. “I guess we will.” He waved at X, smiling. “See you tonight.” He followed Axl back toward the base.

 

* * *

 

  
After duty hours, X had quickly settled in to his apartment for the weekend. Zero and Axl were already sitting and chatting at the small “dining” table near the window of the living room – the whole front area of the apartment was one large room, as Reploids did not require a kitchen. The rest of the living area simply had a couch, a coffee table, and a small television atop an equally small stand. Below the television on the stand was a disc media player and an old-fashioned video game system – things X often did in his spare time. There was a tiny room tucked away in the corner for “showers” – Reploids would simply wash their plate armor or rinse off their synthskin as the occasion required, but X used it a lot less since he hadn’t been working much in the field. He had removed his plate armor, and was wearing his bodysuit, but used a pair of fitted khaki pants to cover his legs and a plaid shirt. Zero and Axl were dressed similarly – Zero liked to wear a red jacket over his black bodysuit with a pair of black pants, and Axl wore a blue hoodie and dark jeans. None of them were wearing their helmets – that just got way too stuffy when they were off the field. They dressed casually and minimally – a lot of Reploids used the rationale that it normalized them to humans, and for many it simply became a habit and a personal preference.

Precisely at 8 pm, X heard a knock at his door. He opened the door and greeted Signas, who X almost didn’t recognize – while he still wore his large captain’s hat, he instead wore a subdued black uniform jacket and pressed black pants. He looked as official as ever, but looked a lot less intimidating without his large mechanical pauldrons or gleaming chest crystals.

“…Good evening, Commander,” X greeted, after an admittedly awkward pause.

“Good evening, X,” Signas replied, smiling. He noticed how long X took to respond. “I know it’s different, but I can be casual, too, you know.”

“O-Of course!” X sputtered. He began to become somewhat frantic at how flustered he was getting, so in order to shift the attention off himself, he turned around. “Just have a seat at the table! Zero and Axl are already here!” The two both nodded at Signas in acknowledgement as X mentioned their names.

“Should I remove my shoes?” Signas asked. He noticed that X and Zero were simply wearing socks, but Axl still had his shoes on.

“Oh! Uhh…” He turned to Zero and Axl, who were struggling to contain their smarmy looks. “It’s…whatever your preference is, sir!”

“I understand.” Signas knelt down in front of X and began to unlace his large black boots. This was also odd for X to take in; he wasn’t used to seeing the Commander without his massive leg armor. He was still quite large and imposing without his armor, but he looked surprisingly…human, almost. Once he had removed his boots and placed them neatly by the door, he strode over to the table and took a seat next to Zero and Axl. He greeted them politely, and was met with equally polite replies.

“It’s nice of you to join us, Commander,” Zero commented. “I’ve never seen you outside of work. I always thought you just lived at HQ or something.”

Signas chuckled at the joke. “It certainly seems that way, doesn’t it?”

“Yeah,” Axl chimed, “you never really struck me as the kind of guy who has a lot of hobbies. You seem like you kinda live for your job, you know?”

“I can see that,” Signas replied, “and, to be fair, it’s not like I’m the most transparent with you. But that’s not really my job, as I’m sure you can imagine.”

“Yeah…what exactly do you like to do for fun, anyway, Commander?” X asked, shuffling his deck of cards.

“I actually have a lot more interests than you might think,” Signas responded. “One of the biggest things I enjoy is being outside. I like to travel outside the city a few times a month and go camping by myself. I love the stillness and quiet. It really reinforces the concept of peace for me…everything is calm. It’s harmonious. I know it seems weird for a machine like me to enjoy the outside, but…it just kind of represents for me all that we’re fighting for. That we have the freedom to go where we want and do as we choose.” The Commander smiled, and X noticed immediately the warmth and gentleness that came across his face. It seemed to put X at ease. He felt…somehow comfortable around Signas. It was a look he had never seen on his boss’ face before, and he was surprised to see him so full of feeling.

“That,” Signas continued, “and I enjoy watching the birds.”

Axl and Zero both snickered a bit. “I never took you for a bird-watcher, Chief,” Zero smirked as X dealt the cards. “That’s some interesting stuff.”

“Oh, don’t humor me,” Signas responded, giving Zero a good-natured nudge on the shoulder. “It’s boring as hell to everyone else and we all know it.” Zero chuckled, and even Axl found himself smiling. “So, what are we playing?”

* * *

At the end of the night, the four began saying their goodbyes.

“I’m glad you came out tonight, Commander,” Zero commented, placing a hand on Signas’ shoulder blade, “I never realized that you had a sense of humor. Thanks for joining us.”

“You’d be surprised,” Signas replied. “But don’t thank me. I would never have come out had X here not invited me.”

X looked away. “Well, you know…just want to make sure everyone is included, you know?”

Axl looked quizzically at X. “Then how come you never invite Alia? I’m sure she would – ow!” He was cut off as Zero gave him a swift, subtle punch in the arm. X jolted as he realized his hypocrisy and turned bright red.

“ _Because,_ Axl,” Zero responded through gritted teeth, “this is a guy’s night. I’m sure you’ve heard of those, right?” His eyes burrowed daggers into Axl's face. The new-generation Reploid was certainly an expert on the field, but someone fell short when writing his social interaction protocols.

Axl blinked at Zero before he realized what Zero was doing. “Oh. _Oh!_ Yeah! That’s right, haha! Guy’s night. Yeah.” He cleared his throat. “Right. So, uh, it’s pretty late…” He yawned very obviously and stretched. “I should probably get going. Night, Commander!” He waved and turned and walked out the door.

Zero walked over to X and gave him a pat on the shoulder. “A good time, as always, X,” he said, giving his shoulder a light shake. “See you later.” He followed Axl out the door and shut it behind him. X paused as he and Commander Signas stood in the empty apartment together.

“I-I’m really glad you came out tonight, too, sir,” X eventually sputtered, looking up at Signas with a weak smile. “I’m really glad I have the chance to get to know you better!”

Signas nodded. “Likewise, X. I’m glad your teammates were open to me spending time with you.”

“Well, I mean…you’re part of the team too, Commander,” X replied, looking up at Signas, his face turning a bit red again. Signas bent down and began putting on and lacing up his boots. X shifted a bit uncomfortably, and couldn’t think of much else to say.

“Well,” Signas began as he tied his other boot, “I suppose I should be going, then. Axl is right, it’s getting late. Thank you again, X.” He stood up and turned toward the door, but paused. “Hey, X.”

X jumped at the suddenly broken silence. “Y-Yes, sir?”

“…What are you doing Sunday afternoon?”

* * *

 

  
At about 12:06 on Sunday, Signas received a knock at his door. He opened the door to find X standing there, suited up in a jacket, boots, gloves, and a scarf. The Commander was dressed much more casually – he wore a flannel shirt with the sleeves rolled up, and pants suited for a climber. He had a pair of work boots that looked well-worn, but most notable of all was his head – he wasn’t wearing a cap. His auburn hair was a lot longer than X expected – so long, in fact, that he managed to fasten it in a small ponytail in the back of his head.

X looked up at the Commander, almost too surprised to speak – he figured that hat was basically attached to his head, he wore it so often. And he had never seen Signas in anything less than military-standard dress attire.

“What’s the matter, X? Never seen anyone ready to go hiking before?” Signas remarked, noting X’s open-mouthed expression.

X jolted, then realized he was just staring slack-jawed at his boss. “S-Sorry, Commander! And sorry I’m late!” His voice jumped as he was equal parts startled and nervous. Signas chuckled. “Don’t worry about it, X. And please – it’s Sunday. I don’t need to be called ‘Commander’ on my off-days.”  
“Wh-What do you mean?”

“I mean, ‘Signas’ is fine.” He reached into his pocket and placed a knit cap on his head, covering his earcones. “I’m glad you dressed for the occasion, but that jacket looks pretty bulky. Would you rather borrow one of my flannel shirts? It might be a bit big on you, but it would certainly make it easier to move.”

X nodded, his face growing hot.

“Alright then.” He turned and walked into his apartment, only to come back a few seconds later. “You don’t have to just stand there, X. Come in.” X snapped out of his anxious stupor and hurriedly stepped over the threshold to the door. He looked around the apartment. It was more spacious than his, but somehow even more barebones. One thing X noticed that separated Signas’ apartment from his was the large floor-to-ceiling bookshelf and the far wall of the living space, and, like his office, was crammed with various books. Unlike his office, which mostly housed military and historical literature, this one was packed with almanacs, field guides, and pre-Reploid-era novels. Signas had the same standard-issue furniture that all the Hunter apartments came with, but X was surprised Signas had done nothing more than add a bookshelf.

“Here,” he was snapped out of his thoughts once again by the Commander, who tossed him a soft red shirt. “Go ahead and take off your jacket and put that one on. Then we can head out.”

X obliged, removing his bulky coat and putting on the warm flannel. It easily dwarfed him; it came almost to his knees and he had to roll up the sleeves quite a bit just so that they would make it to his wrists. His olfactory sensors picked up a scent different from his own, but it was subtle; after all, being machines, it’s not like they had pheromones or “musks” like humans did. But the well-worn texture of the shirt did have a component that a lot of X’s clothing didn’t have; while Signas was a newer model Reploid than himself, it almost felt like Signas had more…life experience than he did. Perhaps it’s just how he was built, but X enjoyed the feeling of having a shirt around him that had seen its fair share of adventure. X had owned his clothes for a while, but he never really wore them out, except on very casual excursions with friends.

“Ready to go?” Signas asked as X buried his face in part of the shirt. X looked up suddenly to see the Commander smiling slightly at him.

“Y-Yeah. How are we getting there?” X replied, putting his hands at his sides.

“We can take my sweeper bike,” Signas replied. “It’s only about a 25-minute drive from here.”

“Good to hear,” X replied. “I’ll just go ahead and take my coat back to my place and –“

“No need,” Signas cut him off. “Just put it on the chair right there, we can get it when we come back.”

“Oh!” X responded. He hesitantly placed his coat on the chair, with the Commander nodding, almost like he was permitting X again to leave it.

“Great. Let’s get going, then.” He walked toward the door and opened it, gesturing for X to go first.

X rode on the back of Signas’ sweeper bike the entire way to the woods, and he realized it was the first time he was taking this road. It led in the opposite direction of the city center, and before too long he got a chance to take in the fields that surrounded the town. They still had a light dusting of snow from a few days before, but the midday sun was slowly warming it to the point of melting. Luckily, it was warm enough that the road didn’t freeze over. X couldn’t talk over the sound of the engines and the wind in his earcones, but he did kind of enjoy the sharp biting cold that came with moving at high speeds. They eventually came to a side trail that split off from the main road, and Signas stopped his bike. “Here we are,” he announced.

“I’m amazed that your hat stayed on,” X pointed out. Signas chuckled.

“Me too. I’ve lost a lot of hats that way.” X smiled, but couldn’t tell if he was joking or not. “Come on, I’ve got something I want to show you.” He led X down the trail, which began as a slight downhill slope. They walked through the woods, the trees barren and devoid of any leaves. The sun shone down brightly through the bare boughs, and X felt a pleasant warmth in his clothes are they absorbed the sun’s light. It felt wonderful against the intense late-autumn cold.

“So, Commander,” X piped up after a few minutes, “I never expected you to have such long hair.” He immediately thought about that statement. Seriously? You haven’t talked this entire time and THAT’S what you thought of? Wow.

“You think so?” Signas turned around. “ Well, what were you expecting?”

“Uh…” X paused again. “I…honestly don’t know. I always figured you were just…built with that hat fixed to your head or something.”

Signas laughed out loud. He had never heard Signas actually laugh at something before besides a good-natured chuckle. Even in his good humor he was reserved and restrained. “I can picture that,” he responded. “That would be pretty funny. Good one, X.”

X sighed, half out of relief, and half out of embarrassment. Roll with it. “I guess I just expected you to have more of a…military-style haircut?”

“Ah, you mean the standard-issue buzz cut? Yeah, that makes sense. I’m glad that’s not how I was built, though. There’s something I like about having long hair. I suppose it just has a little more personality to it. I know a lot of people assume that’s something I don’t have, but…” he trailed off. He continued walking forward for a bit until they came to the base of a small hill. “Ah, here’s the best part, X. Think you can make it up here?”

X laughed. “Commander –“

“Signas.”

“R-Right, Signas.” It still felt weird calling him that. “Signas, I think I can handle a hill. I’m sure I don’t need to tell you about all the tasks I’ve endured as a Maverick Hunter?”

“You’re right,” Signas replied, his face falling slightly. “That was a stupid question. I’m sorry, X.” He turned around and started up the hill. X watched his Commander’s expression and instantly regretted his snark. He didn’t intend to make Signas feel guilty, it just kind of…came out. _Would it be weird if I apologized? Would he think I was putting him on the spot? Maybe he would think I was doing it intentionally if I apologized for it…_ His mind raced as he trekked up the steep slope. After he cycled through every potential outcome at least three times, he didn’t even notice that Signas had stopped walking until he bumped into him. He began to fall backward, but Signas caught his hand before he made impact with the dirt trail.

“Careful, there!” He exclaimed as he caught X, helping him back to his feet. “You almost tumbled back downhill!”

“I’m so sorry, Commander!” X dusted himself off, feeling his face quickly growing as red as his flannel. “I-I got lost in thought…”

“Well, you better find yourself, because I wanted you to see this.” Signas gestured to the view from the top of the massive hill. Beyond the cliff, X had a perfect view of Abel City, the sunlight gleaming on the windows and metallic structures. It almost looked as though it was glowing, like a crystal. X’s mouth slowly opened in awe. He had never seen his home like this before. It was breathtaking. “It’s wonderful, isn’t it?”

“It is,” X replied, dazed. “I can’t believe we’re this far away…but I can’t believe Abel City is really that huge.”

“Yeah,” Signas responded softly. “One of my favorite things to do is to come out here at dusk, watch the sun set, and see Abel City start to light up at the sky darkens. It almost looks like a gem with a light underneath it.” X looked up at the Commander, and he could see his superior getting lost in thought himself. The two simply stood at the top of the hill in total silence for a while, allowing themselves to be taken by the beauty of the city and its surroundings. After a short while, they noticed the afternoon light beginning to get a bit harsher as the sun prepared to descend on the horizon.

“Goodness,” Signas observed, “I can’t believe we’ve been out here this long already.” He looked down at X. “We should probably start heading back. It’ll get way too cold out here once the sun sets.” They started back down the trail again. After a few minutes, X looked back up at his superior once more.

“Hey, Signas?”

“Yes, X?” he turned around once more to look at the young Hunter, draped in a curtain of red plaid.

“Why did you invite me to come here with you today? To show me this view?”

Signas paused. “Well…I suppose I’ve been feeling grateful for the company you’ve given me this week, and I wanted to pay you back for it. You’re the only one who seems to show any interests in my interests, and I thought you might like to see something that interests me. Perhaps that’s a bit selfish, but I know that you’re open to new experiences. I do hope you enjoyed it.”

X smiled brightly. “Of course I did! I’ve never experienced anything like it!” He gained a bit more jump in his step as the words came out. “Maybe next you can bring me bird-watching with you?”

“Calm down, X, I just started hanging out with you three days ago. Let’s not get too crazy here,” the Commander smirked. They both laughed warmly as they approached the end of the trail. The sky had just begun to take on a tinge of pink as they reached Signas’ bike. They both took their seats on the bike and sped back toward town. They couldn’t converse on the way back, so X simply enjoyed the views again. After a bit he faced forward and tried to get a glimpse of Signas’ face while he was driving, but it didn’t seem to work very well. What he did notice, however, was that Signas’ hat was beginning to slide off his head. It had slipped off his head and began to fly away from the two of them – until X swiftly caught the dark gray cap in his hand. Signas didn’t seem to notice. X did watch as his small ponytail flapped in the wind, however, and he couldn’t help but smile at the fact that it was his Commander of all people taking him for a ride and losing his knit cap.

As he pulled back up to the barracks, Signas turned the bike off and looked at X. He placed his hand on his head. “That’s a shame,” he lamented. “I told you I’ve lost a lot of hats. I felt it halfway here, but I couldn’t really do anything about it…”

X said nothing. Instead, he reached into his pocket and handed Signas the cap. Signas raised his eyebrows, looked at the hat, then back up to X. “Wow,” he remarked, “did…did you catch my hat off my head?”  
X nodded.

Signas smiled, then laughed again. That hearty, but reserved laugh. “You never fail to impress me, X.” The two walked back to Signas’ apartment so X could exchange the Commander’s flannel for his own jacket.

“Th-Thank you for inviting me out tonight,” X said after Signas opened the door.

“Of course,” Signas replied, slipping his knit hat back on. “I can’t think of anyone I would have rather spent the day with.”

X smiled. “I guess tomorrow it’s back to being the Commander again, huh?”

Signas smiled as well. “Just at work.” He gave X a sly wink. X flushed a bit at this.

“Well…I’ll see you, tomorrow, then.” He folded his jacket over his arm and haded Signas his flannel back.

“Indeed, X. Have a good evening.” He walked to the door and waved X off, closing the door as he turned the corner.

* * *

 

  
X and Signas spent a few more evenings over the next week making plans with one another. They were nothing fancy; mostly either walking around outside or chatting over cards. X relished every evening, and always felt warm and cheery after every meeting they had. He had a similar feeling when he first started spending time with Zero; he imagined this was simply the feeling of a close bond forming between two friends. After all, he and Zero were best friends, and X always had a good feeling when Zero was around. He had even felt that same sensation with Axl when he started joining the two of them. Even so, he couldn’t help but feel uneasy. After all, Signas was his boss. He began to worry that their friendship would interfere with their professional standing. _I mean, he hasn’t acted any different at work, besides just being a bit more talkative, he thought. He still gets everything done on time and keeps it together in front of others and has the same unwavering professionalism that he always has. Besides, it’s only been a week…_ Despite his attempted self-reassurance, X still felt a little bad.

“So,” Zero asked on Friday afternoon after training, “Will Commander Signas be joining us for cards again tonight?”

“I asked him, and he accepted,” X replied. “You guys are okay with that?”

Zero and Axl, who had just sat down, both nodded. “I liked having him over,” Axl said. “As much as I hate to admit it, you were right, X. He’s not too bad.”

X smiled. “Good, I’m glad to hear it.”

“Is something wrong, X? You seem a little off.” Zero leaned forward a bit.

“I-I’m fine, it’s just…” X tapped his fingers nervously. “I’m worried that maybe my friendship with the Commander is…unprofessional.”

“Unprofessional? What do you mean?” Zero tilted his head slightly.

“I mean…he’s my boss, I’m his subordinate…isn’t that inappropriate? Wouldn’t that interfere with our ability to work? Isn’t that…weird?”

Zero sighed, smirking. “X, look at me.” X looked up. “You and I, we’ve been friends for a while, right? Best friends.” X nodded. “So…remember when I was your superior officer?”

“Sure.”

“And remember how we used to hang out all the time? I was always your shoulder to metaphorically cry on when you would become overwhelmed by all the violence. And you were always there for me, too, after the Repliforce incident.”

X winced a bit. The Repliforce incident had been hard on both of them, but especially on Zero, with the loss of both Iris and the Colonel.

“My point is, X, that we were still super close in spite of me being your superior officer. But now we’re partners, and we’re friends. And that never got in the way of things, did it?”

X looked away. “I suppose you’re right, Zero. That makes a lot of sense. I’m glad I have you here to discuss this with…” He looked up. “Thanks. I really appreciate it.”

Zero smiled at X and shook his head. “Don’t even mention it.” He winked at X. “If you’re gonna be dating a coworker, that’s a different story.”

“You mean like you and Layer?” X replied slyly.

“That kind of gossip is unprofessional, X. I don’t appreciate it.”

Axl laughed. “I think you hit a sore spot.” He slapped Zero on the shoulder. “They’re both so scared to talk they’ve barely spoken a word!”

X chuckled as Zero’s face turned red as a beet. “Yeah, yeah, laugh it up,” he muttered in exasperation. His sour mood was quickly interrupted by Alia, who slid into the seat next to X.

“Afternoon, guys.” Her chipper voice cut through Zero’s bitter miasma like a knife through gelatin. She placed a small box on the table. “So, Christmas is less than two weeks away, which means our team’s holiday party is only one week away, which means it’s Secret Santa time!”

Axl raised an eyebrow. “What’s a Secret Santa? Why is it secret? Who are we keeping it from?”

Alia giggled, pushing the box in Axl’s direction. “All you do is draw a name out of this box, and you’re that person’s Secret Santa! That means you buy them a gift for the holiday party, but you don’t tell them it’s from you. We all open our gifts in front of each other, and try to guess who our Santa was!”

Axl crossed his arms. “That’s confusing. Why not just get someone a gift and be done with it?”

“It’s fun to give gifts to people you may not always consider,” Alia smiled, “and it’s a fun way to let others know that you think of them!”

X hid a big smile. Alia was always thinking about giving to other first before receiving for herself. “So, are you three going to do it this year?”

“Sure,” Zero replied, reaching for the box, “it was pretty fun the last time I did it.” He plucked a name out.

“You know I’m in,” X added, doing the same.

Axl sat there, arms still folded, staring at the box. “Ugh, fine,” he grumbled, yanking a paper out of the open box.

“Great,” Alia said. “There’s no price limit on gifts, but try not to go overboard!” She stood up and tucked the box under her arm. “See you at the party, gentlemen!”

The three all waved as she walked off. X looked at his comrades and watched their faces as they opened their slips of paper. Zero remained stoic as he read the name on the paper, but Axl appeared visibly frazzled. X stifled his laughter as he looked down at his own slip. _Last time I did a Secret Santa, I ended up getting Lifesaver, the guy I knew the least about. Hah, wouldn’t it be hilarious if this year I ended up getting –_

He felt a stressful pang as he saw the name on his slip.

Signas.

_Of COURSE._

* * *

  
The holiday party arrived the following Friday, to the delight of the Hunters. Everyone was glad to get a chance to decompress before the major human holiday. X hadn’t gotten to see Signas but once this week, as apparently he, Alia, and Douglas all made up the party-planning committee. X had silently snickered several times over the week at the thought of the Commander using his diplomatic expertise to settle debates over what color streamer would look best on the walls. As he arrived to the office, he noticed a stack of gifts sitting on a table in the center of the room. Alia explained to him that those were the Secret Santa gifts and to just set his down there.

X spent the next hour chatting casually with his comrades, but spent an especially long time hanging around Commander Signas, who had been there for a while setting things up. They talked about what they had been up to that week, their plans for the weekend, and general small talk. Eventually, Alia had made her way to the center of the room to announce that it was time to open Secret Santa gifts. The first box on the table went to Palette, one of Alia’s Navigator trainees. She opened it up to find a fancy hat, with a note that read, “In case you ever want your hair to touch your head.” Palette kept a straight face, but her cheeks immediately flushed as she asked who her Secret Santa was. Axl jumped out and raised his hand, and Palette’s flush turned to laughter – obviously, the two had managed to form some kind of inside joke around hats, and she appeared excited. Her face was still red, though.

The gifts made their way around – Zero had gotten Axl a holster for one of his guns, Palette gave X a shiny new nameplate for his office/classroom (“It’s, uh, only got one letter on it, and I can’t tell which way is right-side up…” X had remarked to Signas, causing them to both stifle some chuckles), and Douglas got Layer, much to her disdain, a headband, because “how can you navigate with all that hair in your face?” X had looked over at Zero, whose lips had curled into a smirk and pursed tightly. He was clearly trying to hold it together, which caused X to grin wryly as well. Next was Alia. She unwrapped her present to find a set of wheel attachments for her armor, that could be installed to create roller skates on demand. Alia practically squealed in delight, and demanded to know who got them for her. When Signas raised his hand, she ran over to him and threw her arms around his shoulders.

“Oh my gosh, Commander, thank you!! How did you know I wanted these?!”

“Well,” Commander Signas replied, patting Alia on the back, “I remember having a conversation with you a few weeks ago about your interest in the Reploid Roller Derby, but you couldn’t really afford the wheel attachments at the moment. So now you don’t have to worry about it.”

“That’s just like you, Commander,” she giggled, still hanging on to Signas, “always paying such close attention to detail!”

X observed Alia hanging off the Commander, and he couldn’t help but feel a bubble of… _something_ inside him. It was a feeling in the pit of his core. It was subtle, but whatever it was, he didn’t like it. He wasn’t angry, and he wasn’t sad, but it subsided a bit when Signas made eye contact with X out of the corner of his eye. As Alia let go, X smiled at her, and she made her way back to the center of the room.

 _That was weird_ , X thought. _What was that all about?_

Signas was next. X felt his systems speed up a bit. He had faced down titans before, but the prospect of the Commander not liking his gift made him more nervous than he had ever felt. The Commander removed the wrapping paper on the box – _even tearing open gifts is dignified with him!_ – and he held up a new pair of binoculars for the crowd to see.

“F-For your hobby,” X explained.

Signas held them up. He examined them for a moment as X eagerly awaited his response. Finally, he looked down at X and replied, “This is perfect, X.”

X’s face lit up.

“I’ve been in the market for a new pair of these for a while now. The lenses in my old ones are starting to fog up. And this model is excellent. You truly have impeccable taste.” He placed his hand on X’s back and pulled him a bit closer. “What an incredibly thoughtful gift.” He smiled warmly down at X, who beamed back. X felt something replace that bubble of confusion; instead, he felt a strong warmth coursing to all his extremities, but was the most concentrated at his core. His cheeks were warm, and he felt as though he was wrapped up in some kind of blanket from head to toe. The moment seemed to freeze around him, and while he had never experienced anything like this before, he didn’t want the moment to end.

But, eventually, it did, as Zero had received a new hairclip from Layer. He looked up to find his partner patting Layer on the shoulder, the two of them so red he feared the office would set on fire. He laughed quietly at the awkward pair, and he realized then that Signas’ hand had still not left his shoulder. As he noticed this, X knew he didn’t want it to.

  
The Hunters all exited the building at the end of the party, with X, Signas, Axl, and Zero all standing outside the front of the building.

“I would offer to let you guys come over for game night, but it’s pretty late and my power supply is running low,” X explained. “But I’m glad I got to hang out with you guys.”  
“No problem, X. I’ll be sure to find your office with that sweet new plate on Monday,” he pointed to the small box in X’s hands, and the two shared a laugh. They were cut off when Layer approached Zero quietly and tapped him on the shoulder.

“I’m sorry, but could I…um…talk to you for a moment? I-I’m about to leave and…” She trailed off.

“Oh, uh, s-sure,” Zero replied. “I’ll talk to you guys later.” He walked off, turning away from his partners.

“Yeah,” Axl added, “I’m gonna go say goodnight to Palette. Have a good weekend!” He waved and wandered off to find the new Navigator.

X turned to Signas and laughed nervously. “I’m, um, glad you liked the gift,” he said, gesturing to the box in Signas’ hand.

“Of course,” the Commander smiled, “this is the most thoughtful gift anyone’s ever given me.” He placed his hands on X’s shoulder. “I’m glad you’ve made the effort to get to know me over the last few weeks. Having someone to spend time with makes the holiday…a bit more tolerable.” X’s shoulder grew hot, almost burning under Signas’ contact. He grinned.

“I’m glad I’ve made the effort, too. You’re fascinating, Commander,” X replied. “I feel very at ease around you. I just…have a question.”

“Anything, X.”

“My friendship with you…it’s not…unprofessional or anything, is it? I mean, I’m not putting you at risk or in an uncomfortable position by wanting to spend time with you, am I?”

Signas smiled, his warmth emanating from him like a soft light. “Friendship…heh. It’s been a while since I’ve been able to use that term earnestly.” He looked down at X. “You have nothing to worry about, X. I know it might seem like I’m your commanding officer, but you and I are equals. I care about you very much, and you should never have to worry about either one of our jobs being at risk because of something like this.”

“So…it’s not unethical?”

Signas chuckled. “It’s my job to worry about that, not yours. If there’s some kind of code you’re violating, I’ll tell you. But I don’t think you need to concern yourself with that.”

Hearing the words put X immediately at ease. He smiled and looked at his feet. After a short pause, he remarked, “In that case…would you want to hang out tomorrow? We could go for a hike, and I actually found this fascinating documentary about the history of robotics. They’ve got footage dating all the way back to 19XX!”

The smile on Signas’ face widened ever so slightly. “That sounds excellent, X. How about I meet you at 1200 hours?”

X nodded enthusiastically. “That’s perfect. Looking forward to it!” He stood for a moment, an awkward pause looming over the two of them. “Well, uh…goodnight!” He waved and took off toward the barracks, internally cursing his inability to properly depart social situations.

* * *

 

The following day, at 11:58 am, X received a knock on his door. He opened it and found Signas in his standard hiking “uniform,” and holding a different plaid shirt in his hands. This flannel was blue and black, contrasting against the gray of Signas’.

“Good morning, Sir – er, Signas,” X greeted, catching himself.

“Nice save,” Signas replied with a smirk, “are you ready to go?”

“Um, not yet,” X answered, “I still need to put my shoes on and get a coat –“

“No need,” Signas cut X off and handed him the blue flannel, “I figured you could use this if you needed to.”

X smiled and accepted the garment, promptly putting it on. He finished lacing up his boots and the two set off to the woods.

  
Upon their return to X’s home, the two Reploids removed their shoes and settled down on the couch in the middle of the living area. X had pulled out the box for the documentary film. “I found this at a salvage sale a few weeks ago, and I’ve been waiting for someone to watch it with me,” X explained, opening the disc case. “I noticed you seem to be pretty interested in history, so I thought you might be a good candidate for that.”

Signas turned a bit red. “Hm. How did you figure that out?”

“I, um, saw all the books on the shelf in your office,” X replied. He didn’t mean to put the Commander on the spot like that, and he felt a bit guilty about it.

The feeling dissipated though, when Signas smiled. “I’m surprised,” he said, placing a hand on X’s shoulder, “you’re the first to actually notice any of the books in there. I know Alia complimented my attention to detail, but I think yours rivals mine!” The two exchanged a laugh as X placed the disc in the media player.

The two watched the documentary intently, from the beginnings of robotics in 19XX to the 21st century. They enjoyed seeing how quickly robots advanced in such a short period; the mood was light until X noticed a familiar face on the screen.

“Wait a minute,” he whispered. “Is that…?”

“This brings us to Dr. Thomas Light, a pioneering roboticist of the 21st century. He started off creating robots to perform specific tasks, and he ended up building yet another robot to stop them after his creations went berserk. This robot, Mega Man, saved the world countless times and even served as a “son” to Light. At the end of his days, the culmination of his life’s work, it was explained, was sealed away in a capsule. Scientists have not yet dug up this capsule, and some speculate if such an advanced work even exists! But there is no doubt that he is one of the most influential inventors that ever lived, and that his works were decades ahead of their time.”

X watched the footage of his creator, a solemn expression creeping its way onto his face. It felt so odd to see the face of the man who designed and built him…but to see it fully, and not just in the form of a hologram. He got to see Dr. Light in his prime; when he began to make waves in the robotics community. It also felt strange to hear about his predecessor, and see his face; he had heard the stories of Mega Man from a lot of people, but he had never seen the small, primitive blue robot in action. It all felt so surreal to X, but he was quickly brought back to reality as the documentary cut to another familiar face.

“Another influential figure in the field was this man, Dr. Albert Wily. Wily and Light had frequently worked together on their creations, but this all ended when Wily decided to take a departure from creating the helper bots that Light wanted to create. He became obsessed with power and recognition. Whether it was corrupting Light’s creations, or building new ones just to go after his, Wily was always getting in Light’s way. He, too, created a final project of his own; but, like the final project of Dr. Light, his has not yet surfaced. When it does, though, it will undoubtedly create havoc for humanity.”

X stared at the screen. The footage of Wily in his lab had a very clear and distinct prototype in the background, with long hair and a familiar red body.

Zero.

X paused the film and slowly buried his head in his hands. He couldn’t believe the directors had spent so much time on the conflict between his creator and Zero’s. It sent his memory into a flurry, thinking of all of the destruction that had been wrought in his name.

“Is something wrong, X?” Signas inquired, his voice quiet but concerned.

X continued to look down. “I can’t believe it,” he responded, vocoder quivering. “There’s been so much bloodshed because of us…the Mavericks, they’re all based on my programming…Zero hurt so many people, and I’ve had to fight him so many times...” X squeezed his eyes shut, his circuits overflowing with guilt and hurt. “It’s our fault, Signas…It’s all our fault. I can’t believe I can get up every day and act like I’m doing good for people. Repliforce, the Nightmare virus, Sigma…it all comes from us.”

Signas moved closer to X, and placed his arm around X’s shoulders, pulling him into an embrace. “X,” he said softly, “none of this is your fault. Nor is it Zero’s. Neither of you asked to be built, and neither of you asked to be the way that you are. And neither of you asked to be copied or corrupted. Neither of you asked to be infected.” His words surrounded X like a blanket. He felt warm, and he felt comfort…he had never felt this kind of reassurance before. No one else had ever made him feel this…safe. He still shook in Signas’ arms, still racked with his overwhelming grief. “You can’t blame yourself for any of this. Reploids are capable of independent thought, which, I think, you were given more capacity to do than anyone.” He slowly, gently rubbed X’s shoulder. “And I think that’s been a burden on you as much as it’s been a strength.” He looked down and lifted X’s face, marred with the invisible scars of countless wars and decades of bloodshed, to look at him.

“Wh…What do you mean?” X hiccuped.

“I mean, you feel for others more strongly than any Reploid I’ve ever met. You truly are a miracle of a machine. You have such a strong capacity for empathy, and that is so incredibly special.”

“But what about Zero?” X asked, his eyes never leaving the Commander’s face. “I know he’s on our side, but I’ve had to fight him so many times…”

“It’s because of you that Zero has even stayed this long,” Signas responded with a small smile. “Sigma may have been the one to, well, knock the Maverick out of him, but it’s your empathic nature and devotion to helping him that have kept him here. As for your fighting,” he looked away briefly, “that’s just how his creator built him.” His face returned to X. “But that’s the beauty of it, X. Zero was created out of a man’s spite and hatred, for the sole purpose of destroying you. But thanks to your kindness and desire to understand others, he’s grown to be a close comrade and even one of your best friends.”

X blinked, his face softening. “Commander…”

“I know this is hard to watch,” Signas continued, “but I think this is something you need to see. I think this is something you need to realize.”

At this point, X realized he was still enveloped in Signas’ embrace. His body had stilled from its tremors. He leaned in a bit and placed a hand on the arm that was crossing his chest. “I suppose you’re right. I’m sorry I did this…”

Signas chuckled. The low rumble of the Commander’s chest in one of his earcones left a slight tingle in his side. “Even now, you’re thinking about others,” he whispered. He placed a hand on X’s head, running it slowly through his brown hair. “You really are astounding in so many ways, X.”

X closed his eyes for a few moment, feeling the Signas’ intense stillness. The warmth and calm he felt began to slowly melt away the cloud of guilt in his core. It was almost like the Commander’s words and presence were clearing a virus out of his systems. After several minutes of this, X lifted his head off the officer’s shoulder and looked up at him.

“I think I’m ready to finish this,” X whispered, rubbing his eye. “Would that be alright?”

“If you feel comfortable, then please, by all means.”

The two managed to get through the rest of the documentary; a lot of it focused on the first Mega Man’s victories over Wily’s robots, before approaching the end of the pre-Reploid era. Before the documentary ended though, X could feel himself beginning to power down; his “outburst” had taken a lot of emotional energy and drained a surprising amount of his power. He began to feel his eyes growing heavy, but didn’t want to say anything; he didn’t want to burden Signas or kick him out early. I’ll stick it out to the end, he thought. I’ll just go to sleep when this is over…

Before he knew it, he had slowly leaned over and his head was resting on Signas’ thigh. Signas jumped slightly when his face made contact, but looked down at the sleeping Reploid. He brushed some of the shaggy chocolate hair out of his eyes and smiled. He looked so…peaceful. He had seen X in a good mood a lot of the time, but this was the first time Signas had seen his face free of anxiety, of fear, of guilt, of the burdens of everyone around him. It was kind of beautiful, in a way. He loved seeing X in such a safe, secure state. This being should have been torn apart in every conceivable way by all of the violence and pressure placed upon his small shoulders; instead, he was able to continue to help those around him. He played with the strands of synthetic hair on X’s head and a...feeling overwhelmed him. He felt like he wanted to protect this person. He wanted to nurture him and comfort him and help him grow and help him heal. He wanted to be a place of stability in X’s tumultuous life, like a boulder in a rainstorm. He wanted to be the one X could go to whenever he needed someone. He wanted to stay, consequences be damned. He…

Signas snapped to attention when he realized where his thoughts had drifted. When the haze of his daydream had dissipated, he looked down at X and smiled softly. He moved slowly so as not to disturb his sleeping comrade and scooped him up. Signas carried X to his recharger bed and lay him down gently. He saw the glow from underneath X’s eyelids to show the charging process had started. He placed his hand on the sleeping robot’s forehead and ruffled his hair. He turned to walk out, but looked back to X before stepping out. He smiled and closed the door to the sleeping quarters.

* * *

  
X woke the next morning with a start. He didn’t remember getting into his bed the night before. How did he get here? He was still wearing his clothes from the hike. What happened?

He jumped out of bed and changed his clothes. He looked out the window and saw rain pounding the glass. He threw open the door to his bedroom and looked around. The living area was exactly as he left it, but he saw something on the coffee table – a small piece of paper. He walked over to read it. It read,

_X,_

_Sorry I had to leave last night. You fell asleep in the middle of the film, so I let you recharge. I hope that wasn’t a strange thing to do. I’ll be home all day today, so come by if you feel like it. No need to let me know; just knock. If not, I’ll see you at work._

_Best,  
Signas_

X sighed in relief. He also couldn’t help but feel a little warm at his core at the thought of the Commander wanting him to rest up; but he also felt an intense pang of anxiety when he realized he had fallen asleep in front of the Commander. Oh, no. How did he fall asleep? Did he fall forward? Did he lay on the arm of the couch? Did he, god forbid, fall on Signas? He was so groggy at the time that he could hardly remember. He clutched the note and quivered. _I need to go over there, ASAP, to explain myself. What if the Commander thought I was trying to make a move on him? What if I had made him uncomfortable? He doesn’t seem to be that affected…after all, he extended an invitation for me to come over. But what if he’s just being cordial? But if he was just being cordial he wouldn’t mind me just popping by…_ He managed to drive off a bit of the nerves with his thoughts. He looked at his clock. 1024 hours. _Is that too early? Signas is usually an early riser, so maybe not…do I wait?_ Can _I wait?_ He looked at the clock again. _Whatever._ He laced up his shoes and bolted out the door.

Signas opened his door upon hearing a near-frantic knocking. He was pleasantly surprised to find X standing in the doorway.

“Good morning, X. Did you sleep well?”

X shuffled his feet. “Y-Yeah, actually, I did. Best sleep I’ve had in a while,” he replied. “Thanks for, um…looking out for me. Who knows how long I would have been out if you weren’t there?”

“If it weren’t for me, you wouldn’t have run out of power in the first place,” Signas lamented, averting his gaze.

“No, no, no!” X exclaimed nervously, walking up to the Commander. “Please don’t think that it was your fault! I thought I could stick it out to the end of the movie. How was it, anyway?”

Oh. Signas hadn’t actually paid any attention to the film after X fell asleep.

“Truthfully, X, I don’t know how the movie ended,” he responded, “after you powered off, I…wasn’t able to focus.”

X’s eyebrows furrowed. “What do you mean you weren’t able to focus?”

Signas averted his gaze. Normally he was always able to think of a tactical response, but for once, he was at a loss. After a moment, he looked back at X.

“I’m not sure what came over me, but I felt very focused on you,” he finally sighed. “I know it sounds strange, but…I couldn’t stop looking at you.”

“I…I’m confused. Was there something…wrong?”

“No! There was nothing wrong with you, nothing of this sort,” Signas exclaimed. “Something was wrong with me. I don’t know what it was, but I began feeling a lot of unfamiliar things when I saw you had fallen asleep on my leg.”

X flinched. Dammit.

“Unfamiliar things…” X contemplated, “how would you describe them?”

“I just,” Signas Started, visibly flustered. “I felt…warm, and you looked so calm, and I had never seen that look on your face before, not even at work, and it just made me feel so wonderful that I got to see you like that, and I feel like I just stayed there forever, and…” X noticed the Commander’s steel-cold reserve slowly beginning to unravel as he rambled on.

“I think I understand it, sir,” X cut him off. “I think I’ve been experiencing the same thing.”

Signas was clearly confounded by this. “You mean, you’ve done that too?”

“Not in the same situation, obviously, but I feel a lot of comfort around you. When I had my little, um, breakdown last night, I…well, I’ve never quite felt anything like I did when I was around you,” X explained. “I felt…safe. Safer than I’ve ever felt. And I think it was because of you.”

“Me…?” Signas’ face began taking on a deep flush. “I’m not sure I’ve done anything different than anyone else in your life. Have I?”

“I feel like you have,” X replied, taking a step toward Signas. “You feel safe. You feel stable. You feel like someone I can confide in.” He looked down. “We’ve known each other for quite a while, and I know we only recently begun spending time together, but…I’ve never felt this way about anyone before.”

Signas also took a step toward X. “I agree,” he replied. “I’ve never exactly been good with words, but all I know is that this is so new and unfamiliar and strange, but…I like it.”

X laughed nervously. “This all sounds so cliché,” he ribbed, nudging Signas with his elbow. “It almost feels like a…like a cheesy romance novel.”

Wait.

Oh, no.

X realized the connotation of what he just said. A romance novel? He’s going to get the wrong idea, X. How can you even know if that’s what you’re feeling?! You could be so far off base. Hell, he could file a sexual harassment complaint right now! Why did you say that? What were you—

“You’re right,” Signas chuckled, “but I think it’s actually kind of fitting.”

“Wait. Fitting?”

“Yes,” Signas replied, taking another step toward X. “I had a lot of time to consider my feelings last night, X. I know one night may not seem like a long time, but…it makes sense to me.”

“Wh-What does?”

Signas sighed. “X…I’ve already considered all the possible consequences of what I’m about to tell you.”

Oh.

“I understand that only one of those outcomes ends up favorable for both of us.”

Oh. OH.

“But I need to tell you this, because I see it clearly. And I understand how dire it will be should this turn out unfavorably, and I am prepared for it.”

X braced himself. The seconds-long pause could have easily been years based on how fast his mind raced.

“I’m in love with you, X.”

The words were like a shear cutting through a tension wire. X could almost hear the snap in the room. He stood, completely motionless, for a few moments. The weight of the statement hung over them, like a thick fog. Finally, X walked directly up to Signas. He looked up at the Commander, an entire head taller than him. After another few heavy seconds, he wrapped his arms around Signas’ neck and brought his face down to his, kissing him.

The shock hit the Commander’s system like a lightning bolt. He felt the electricity in every cell of his body. It was so overwhelming that at first, he did nothing, not even close his eyes. When the initial sparks wore off, his eyes fluttered shut and he closed the gap between himself and X. The two simply maintained contact for a bit, not moving, but just relishing the feeling of touching. Finally, they parted briefly as their lips made contact again.

And again.

And again.

Finally they broke apart at the mouth and simply stared at each other, both equally dumbfounded by what just happened. After a moment of catching their breath, Signas leaned down and caught X in another close embrace, crushing their lips together. The sudden force caught X off guard, but he found himself wrapping his arms around Signas’ shoulders again and pulling him even closer. X thought the force might bruise his lips, but he couldn’t have cared less. He felt Signas’ lips part slightly, and felt something nudging against his own. He opened his own mouth to let his partner’s tongue make its away inside, slowly and gently. The two let their tongues tangle together, an intense heat building in the nearly nonexistent space between their bodies. X felt his face growing hot, and circulatory fluid was rushing through him in a way he had never experienced before. He could occasionally feel the warmth of Signas’ cheek as it brushed his, the sensation almost leaving an imprint in the synthetic skin. Signas ran his fingers through the back of X’s hair, lightly grabbing and pushing his face closer to him.

After what felt like hours, the two finally separated and stared at each other for a moment to catch their breath. X, who had begun standing on his toes, lowered his heels to the ground slowly. A smile began creeping its way onto both of their faces, and X yelped as Signas reached down, wrapped his arms around X’s knees, and lifted him off the floor.He laughed playfully as Signas simply smiled warmly at him. X placed his hands on the sides of Signas’ face and bent down to give him one last peck on the lips, a silent reciprocation of Signas’ proclamation. He then strung his arms around the Commander’s neck and simply laid there as his feet dangled a few feet off the ground. In that lazy, quiet, slow embrace, the warm, glowing feeling returned to X’s core, and X finally realized what exactly that feeling was:

Peace.

**Author's Note:**

> super cliche ending line YEAH
> 
> so......there's that. I don't really know how Reploids dress/act casually so I made up something that made sense in my head with these characters.... I really wish Signas had a more fleshed-out personality but I've also not played X7 or most of X8 yet so I uh...made some things up
> 
> (i just hope the fandom doesn't hate me for this /)o(\\)


End file.
